Supply Chain Council of European Union | Scceu.org
Transportation

Festo in the fight against Covid-19

Festo has taken its social mandate to combat the Covid-19 crisis by launching several focused support projects such as the development of an emergency respiratory ventilator, supporting the production of protective facemasks and the installation of an emergency hospital. Moreover, the LifeTech business field offers an excellent range of components for laboratory automation and patient care devices. Along with the medical sector, it is also crucial for Festo to keep production stable on a global scale in systemically relevant areas.

“Like many other companies, we too asked our employees to work from home until further notice,” said Dr Oliver Jung h.c. “There were two questions that preoccupied us: Firstly, how can we as a systemically relevant component supplier for the beverage, food and pharmaceutical industries maintain our production processes? And secondly, how can we provide support?” Jung added.

Development emergency respirator

A specially constituted team of developers at Festo have developed an emergency respirator. Within a few weeks of working from home and in close cooperation with hospital doctors, our team realised the prototype of a fully functional respirator that operates on the basis of digital pneumatics. The emergency respirator is technically fully developed but has not yet been given approval as a medical device. In Germany, special approval for emergency use would be possible, because the Medical Device Directive allows simplified approval of devices in the event of a disaster. They are then made available to the clinics through the authorities and are removed from circulation once the disaster situation has ended.

Fortunately, at the moment it seems that this emergency will not occur in Germany; but the device could be made ready for series production relatively quickly in case of the second wave of infection. Through its national companies, Festo is also making this concept available to its customers and, on an international scale, to authorities that would like to manufacture the device in series production. The first specific enquiries have already been received from India. While Festo does not produce respirators itself, it provides certified manufacturers with several components that are suitable for installation in ventilators. The company has received numerous enquiries about these components from customers in Germany and abroad. Festo is thus one of the main suppliers of these components, which will also be provided to developing countries.

Mobile automated mask production

In addition to the emergency respirator, Festo is also a supplier and technical consultant to the Carola project for the machinery producer Mikron, enabling local production of protective facemasks in a mobile freight container. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, these masks are still in short supply. This situation will continue or even become more acute over the next few weeks and months because most facemasks must currently be imported from abroad. Even with intact supply chains, delivery times amount to several months at present. On request, a production unit can be installed in a 20-foot sea freight container, where the raw material (polypropylene) delivered in rolls is processed into complete protective facemasks. The production capacity is around 50 masks per minute, corresponding to about two million masks per month. The great advantage is that this unit is mobile and it can operate immediately on location. It is also independent of imports and can be used over a long period in any crisis area. Festo is supplying electrical and pneumatic components and drives for this purpose, primarily from the core product range, which are available at any time.

Automation Solutions for Test-Labs

Global diagnostics enterprises and laboratories cannot meet the high demand for Covid-19 tests. At the beginning of a pandemic such as this, it is decisive to detect who has the virus in order to limit the spread among the population. In this phase, saliva-based PCR tests (virus tests) can help in enabling isolation procedures, reduce the basic reproduction number and slow down the transmission of the virus. “We offer automation solutions for typical test workflows, for instance, the handling of sample tubes or the pipetting and dosing of liquids. In developing the components, we place emphasis on high quantity, precision and accuracy,” said Jung. Antibody test devices are also becoming increasingly important. Point-Of-Care (POC) devices, Festo valves and pressure regulators can be used in mobile laboratory devices in doctor’s surgeries and hospitals to protect a greater number of endangered people and ultimately put an end to the lockdown.

Stable production in systemically relevant areas

Along with the medical sector, it is also important for Festo to keep production in systemically relevant areas stable on a global scale. One of our supply chain task force is leaving no stone unturned in maintaining production and logistics throughout the global network and distributing capacities as necessary. “Our products are used for example in filling technology in the beverage industry, for packaging at food manufacturers, and also in cleaning units for hospitals and care facilities and in packaging technology for the medication in the pharmaceutical industry”, concluded Jung.

For years we have been developing solutions for the medical sector to help save lives and improve health. The medical industry is currently facing greater challenges, as an automation company that cares, we are stepping up and helping fight Covid-19 through our expertise, medical technology and laboratory automation.

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